My cat may have hyperthryoidism

[alarimer]

20. (update)Well, he definitely has it.

There are 4 treatment options, one of which (surgery) is not really recommended or done anymore. So we can throw that out. So basically, three then.

A special food, which he may or may not eat. The vet said that it doesn't have much flavor and some cats just refuse it. Plus it is mega-expensive. Online retailers quote $54 per 8.5 lb. bag of dry and a similar amount for 24 cans. Each would give him enough food for approximately 2.5 weeks. Grand total for the year would be over $1000. Right now, I suppose I spend 300-400 on food annually.

Medicine. Now, it isn't fun to give a cat a pill and this would be done twice daily. Now it also comes in a transdermal patch, which my vet says is easy to use. I don't know what these cost exactly, but it looks like with the monitoring, it would be similar to the food, multiplied by however many years he lives. There are some side effects that may be unpleasant as well.

Radioiodine therapy. Said to be very effective. Only one treatment needed in most cases. Expensive, maybe $1000, but likely only a single event and it actually cures the disease.

So, I'd lean towards the last myself, but I think they normally start with medication.

On the plus side, the antibiotics appear to be working and he no longer stays mad at me after I give them to him. But we did move to a new apartment this weekend, so he is kind of mad about that! Poor thing, he's had a tough week.